Americans Get 13% of Calories From Added Sugar

Two-thirds of those calories come from food, not drinks.

The average American adult gets approximately 13% of his or her calories from "added sugar," or sugars used as ingredients in processed and prepared foods, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That figure stems from data the CDC gathered on Americans' diets between 2005 and 2010. The most recent federal dietary guidelines recommended that solid fats and added sugar constitute no more than 5% to 15% of total calories.

Although men consume more added-sugar calories (335) in an average day than women (239), the contribution of those calories to overall intake is roughly the same.

There are differences in added-sugar consumption among socioeconomic and other groups.

"Non-Hispanic black men and women consumed a larger percentage of calories from added sugars than non-Hispanic white or Mexican-American men and women," the CDC reported, "and the percentage of calories from added sugars declined with increasing age and income."

Despite the attention given to sugary drinks as a culprit in Americans' dietary woes, the CDC found that 67% of added-sugar calories came from food. At the same time, the CDC notes, "previous research has shown that when foods and beverages are separated into specific food or beverage items, regular sodas are the leading food source of added sugars, at least for adults aged 18–54."